What happened when Sysco chose to ramp up its sustainability efforts? It created powerful opportunities for cost cutting and growth—for both the company and its clients.
BCG’s Value-Based Approach to Sustainable Operations
Many companies are setting emissions goals or net zero targets and increasing operational sustainability to achieve them. Getting on the path to achieve emissions targets enables organizations to stay ahead of new regulations, maintain access to investors’ capital, and retain and attract top talent. Following that path can also bring financial benefits—savings from operational efficiency, revenue growth from market expansion, and new revenue streams—all of which help to offset the costs of working with suppliers to address Scope 3 emissions.
BCG works with companies to achieve emissions and net zero targets so they can stay ahead of a changing regulatory landscape, sure up access to key talent and materials, and drive lasting competitive advantage.
Here are just some of the ways we help clients unlock new value from sustainable operations:
Sustainable Manufacturing
Although most companies have set ambitious Scope 1 and 2 reduction targets and are committed to achieving them, concerns about incurring higher costs pose a major obstacle. We help companies
decarbonize operations while improving efficiency so they not only lower emissions but also realize financial value and reduce risks. For example, by switching to renewable energy, clients can reduce their carbon footprint and insulate themselves from oil price fluctuations.
Sustainable Supply Chains and Procurement
For most large companies, greenhouse gas emissions from the supply chain—Scope 3 emissions—make up the largest share of their total carbon footprint. We help clients segment suppliers and engage with them to achieve the most impact—from assisting them in setting new sustainable procurement standards to incentivizing decarbonization. Our experts in sustainable procurement and sustainable supply chain consulting ensure that companies have a solid sustainable supply chain strategy in place.
Circular Economy
By transitioning to the circular economy, companies can help unlock $4.5 trillion of GDP growth worldwide by 2030. This paradigm of production and consumption will generate jobs, improve the quality of life, reduce waste, and create growth opportunities for the private sector. BCG helps clients shift away from the traditional take-make-dispose model and envision a new one that is regenerative by design.
Our Clients’ Success in Sustainable Operations
A global pharmaceutical company wanted to reduce its carbon footprint across its value chain. We worked with the company to develop a net zero roadmap to address its Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions. As a result, our client is on track to reduce emissions across its value chain by more than 90% by 2040.
A global food and beverage company wanted to define an integrated climate and business strategy that delivered on its net zero goals and increased supply chain resilience. We helped the client identify breakthrough initiatives, quantify its carbon-reduction impact, develop operational sustainability roadmaps, and establish effective governance.
A steel company wanted to reduce its emissions within the decade. We helped the company define a net zero roadmap, and it has already started the journey with clear initiatives, investments, and changes that put it on the path toward operational sustainability and a 30% reduction of emissions by 2030.
Video
April 2, 2025
Video
March 4, 2025
BCG partnered with the Casillo Group to build a brand and business model for a breakthrough food product that’s good for us, good for the planet, and good for business.
Video
August 28, 2023
Alberto Milvio, former CFO of Autostrade per l’Italia Group, and Concetta Testa, head of sustainability, share how the company is working to realize sustainable infrastructure.
Video
June 22, 2023
North America's largest tire distributor aimed to stop the wasteful disposal of used tires—and became a transformative model of circularity. Hear from ATD leaders about their partnership with BCG.
Our Sustainable Operations Partnerships and Products
We have exclusive partnerships with global leaders in sustainability—including
COP27, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, the
World Economic Forum on the Net Zero Challenge, the
World Wildlife Fund, and the Science Based Targets initiative—offering unparalleled access to cutting-edge sustainability perspectives.
BCG also leverages a suite of world-class proprietary tools to ensure that clients have the data they need to achieve their decarbonization, net zero, and sustainable operations goals.
BCG also leverages a suite of world-class proprietary tools to ensure that clients have the data they need to achieve their decarbonization, net zero, and sustainable operations goals.
CO2 AI
Part of our partner ecosystem, CO2 AI enables organizations to measure, simulate, reduce, and track their environmental footprint at scale.
CO2 AI
Circelligence by BCG
Circelligence calculates a company's circularity, helping clients advance sustainability and maximize value with fewer raw materials.
Circelligence by BCG
OpenSC
A traceability platform, OpenSC verifies claims about sustainable supply chains and responsible production automatically, continuously, and with the backing of granular and immutable data.
OpenSC
Supply Chain Net Zero Academy
BCG’s best-in-class sustainability learning platform upskills suppliers and procurement teams so they can accelerate Scope 3 decarbonization and their journey to net zero.
Supply Chain Net Zero Academy
Our Insights on Sustainable Operations
Video
March 12, 2025
Long Live the Refurbished Phone
BCG’s Joseph Fitzgerald explains how telcos and retailers can drive growth in the expanding refurbished phone market and the sustainability benefits at stake.
Article
April 21, 2025
To thrive in uncertain times, packaging companies must remain flexible while investing in capabilities that will define future industry leadership.
Report
February 13, 2025
How can fashion brands drive adoption to unlock the benefits of next-gen materials? A report by Fashion for Good and BCG provides a blueprint.
Video
January 29, 2025
Making Sustainability Commercially Viable
Clariant’s Conrad Keijzer and Charlie Tan of Global Impact Coalition explain how bringing companies together uncovers business cases for sustainability that no one company could make alone.
Video
October 18, 2024
New Tools for Accelerating Emissions Reduction
CO2 AI’s Charlotte Degot and Allon Zeitoun of Quantis explain how AI-driven tools can help companies scale emissions measurement and reduction at the product level.
Article
June 28, 2024
Each year, we throw away nearly $200 billion of material that could be recycled. But companies can flip the script.
Video
October 18, 2024
Textile Recycling at Scale
RE&UP’s Fatih Konukoglu tells BCG’s Asli Kurbay that the cost of inaction on climate change is too big. Tackling waste requires global action and collaboration
Meet Some of Our Sustainable Operations Consulting Team
BCG’s sustainable operations consulting team has deep expertise in sustainable manufacturing, sustainable procurement strategy, ESG in procurement, ESG in supply chains, and more. Here are some of our experts in sustainable operations.
